Harambee Starlets deny Ghana in Accra
What you need to know:
- The hosts bossed proceedings in the opening half with a couple of corner kicks but in all occasions were wasteful with Ghanaian goalkeeper Fafall Dumehasi being a spectator with no attempts from the visitors.
Kenya's national women’s football team, Harambee Starlets came unstuck after battling to a barren draw against Ghana's Black Queens in the first leg of their the third round Olympic qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
The hosts bossed proceedings in the opening half with a couple of corner kicks but in all occasions were wasteful with Ghanaian goalkeeper Fafall Dumehasi being a spectator with no attempts from the visitors.
In the second half, the script was not any different but once again their efforts were thwarted by the composed Kenya custodian Annette Kundu.
Ghana coach Mercy Tagoe rested captain Priscilla Okyere for Ernestina Abambila on 59 minutes but the move did little to change the stalemate the scoreline.
HELD FIRM
Hits and misses were the order of the evening for the Queens before again Tagoe brought on Justice Tweneboa for Ruth Animah but the Kenyans, who looked happy with a draw away, held firm.
Kenya are expected back home on Saturday ahead of the return leg scheduled for Tuesday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani where the aggregate winner will proceed to the fourth round, where either Zambia or Botswana await.
The fourth round aggregate winner will proceed to the fifth and final qualifying round, whose winner gets a place in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while the loser will play Copa America runners-up Chile in the Olympic Caf-Conmebol play-off.
To book a date with Ghana, Harambee Starlets defeated the She-Flames of Malawi in the second round of qualification 5-3 on aggregate while the Black Queens saw off Gabon 5-0.
